From 2014 onwards, Yacht Club Games has been cranking out banger after banger in relation to their Shovel Knight series, and Shovel Knight Dig is yet another spin up the idle. It was developed in conjunction with Yacht Club and Nitrome, Shovel Knight Dig takes the fundamental concepts of the Shovel Knight 2D platformer gameplay The shoveling, the bounce, the hidden treasures in the off-pattern areas in the wall Mega-Man-style boss battles, and so on and incorporates everything in the form of the roguelite that spelunks. It’s actually perfect even though the game ends pretty quickly and gives no convincing reasons to continue digging.
Shovel Knight Dig is a Roguelite that has the standard features that are characteristic of this genre. Permadeath as well as procedurally-generated levels. tiny elements of continuous progression that offer each run the chance to be slightly more difficult than the previous. It plays almost identically to the game that was the first of the primary Shovel Knight series, Shovel of Hope. The blue-clad armored knight plays exactly the same way, has almost the exact range of actions and battles similar enemies using the same actions. It’s nice to have this familiarity, however the designers cleverly avoid relying solely on nostalgia. There’s still many brand new enemies and relics, as well as new characters and even new hazards, all of them are specifically designed to get the most of the most significant change with Shovel Knight Dig: Instead of being a standard side-scroller where you move across the screen from right to left, Shovel Knight Dig exclusively involves you moving from the uppermost to the lowest in each stage.
This creates a tricky level layouts where you have to be extremely careful the way you descend because even though Shovel Knight is able to dig both downwards and sideways but he is unable to dig upwards and when you do not hit an obstacle or block to bounce off , you’ll usually end up unable to back up. However, you shouldn’t go too slowly, as there’s always the threat of an excavator that can kill you in one hit that will follow you throughout the entire level, and can be a nuisance when you spend too long in any section.
All of it is an intense sense of tension and well-planned risk-versus-reward throughout each level. The entire campaign is also packed with exciting secrets and treasure chests that hold valuable treasures and relics which are typically hidden away in dangerous or difficult-to-access areas and also reinforce that hard-to-make decisions are crucial for any good rogue.It’s all about an incredible feeling of tension, and the tension of risk vs. reward at every stage. “
In a similar fashion to roguelite In between every run you can purchase new items and relics which will be added to the list of treasures you’ll find on subsequent runs. They’re not game-changing and, to be truthful, you’ll be able to beat the game also without purchasing one of the items. There are plenty of items and relics that you can use your hard-earned money on. There are shortcut tickets available that let you begin an adventure at a higher stage, or you can buy armor sets that come with many different effects, but only after you discover their blueprints within the well. You can also purchase equipment upgrades that allow you to carry more gear when exploring or hunting, and you can purchase keys that open stronger relics, provided you are able to hold it long enough to open the door that has a specific lock.
What We’ve Told You Concerning Shovel Knight Pocket Dungeon
The people of Yacht Club Games continue their streak of success in the realm of Shovel Knight. As a puzzle-based game Pocket Dungeon is a familiar game however it does it in a manner that is completely original, regardless of whether you are a fan of Shovel Knight, roguelites, or block-falling games. Certain elements of roguelite are not well-developed and an online versus mode could have taken the game to the limit However, even with these minor flaws it is an great entry into Shovel Knight’s world. Shovel Knight. – Mitchell Saltzman, December 12, 2021
Score: 8
One issue with the system in general – and this is the same issue as the one I experienced when playing Pocket Dungeon – is that only a few of the available items contribute to any kind or sense of progression. Armor sets can be excellent and are a great reward to make your money go further and especially the red armor which reduces the damage you sustain but at the cost of the gems you can earn However, the majority of unlocks you can get from Chester the blue dude who is an chest and sells accessories to use in subsequent runs they are either not relevant to the current game or have effects small that it feels like a waste and a negative way adding them to the loot bag. I’d rather get an item that is beneficial for the entire game than an elemental resistance accessory that is useful for a single level, only to be an unneeded waste afterward.A few of the purchaseable items contribute to any kind of sense of progress. “
This ruins the overall experience of progress and reduces my interest in trying to purchase all the things I want after finishing my first race since they’re kind of unpopular.
However, it’s a minor problem because Shovel Knight Dig is excellent in every other aspect and that first game that I played through was an absolute delight. One of my most favorite design decisions is that each level comes with three cogwheels to find that are always in the open, but are rarely accessible to collect. If you are able to complete all three and then at the end of the level, you’ll in a position to select between a prize or all their health. It’s an amazing feeling to finish an area with a low amount of life and be confident that as the time comes gather those three cogwheels, you’ll still stand a chance to keep your game alive. But on the flip side of that, if you’re running through a course without needing health, it’s an amazing feeling to feel confident that you’ll get something more tangible reward at the end, when you’ve managed to collect all the cogwheels.
A really clever thing Nitrome and Yacht Club included as well as one that is strongly influenced by other fantastic roguelites like Hades or Slay the Spire The idea is that when you’ve completed the level, you’re offered the option of what direction to take following, and there are a few indicators that inform you of what to be expecting from the levels procedural development and the rewards it offers.
The most sought-after routes are usually locked and require an item to the end of the level. On the other hand, others warn you about the presence of a particular kind of enemy, or that you’ll be faced with dangerous drills that continue to go left and right through the level. It is also possible to let you be aware of the good aspects that are expected to be found within the level, such as shops, or more the amount of health drops. It’s nice to have some control over which level you’d like to conquer next, and especially since it’s not an easy decision.Screens – Shovel Knight Di
It’s also worth noting that this is the most stunning Shovel Knight could have ever appeared. Previous games have deliberately limited their designs to match the appearance of the NES game, however Shovel Knight Dig has no restrictions, making it appear like a generational leap from the first games, and bringing it more on par with the 16-bit SNES and Genesis period . The stunning sprites, animations and backgrounds are stunning and the soundtrack, which is chiptune that is again the work by Jake Kaufman — is one of the most memorable tracks ever.
It didn’t take me very long to complete the final level of Shovel Knight Dig’s brief four-level exploration and my playing time running less than four hours. There’s definitely a lot of games to play with achievement-related like-feats to complete as well as hidden armor blueprints as well as relics to unlock and other accessories available in the shop however, there doesn’t appear to be a compelling incentive to go on in the direction of satisfying the itch that a completionist has.
[Edit] Following the publication I learned that there’s a secretly hidden end that adds a level , and a few more hours to the total running duration. It won’t impact the overall scores, however it definitely gives me an incentive to play after accumulating credits the very first time.
Verdict
Shovel Knight Dig is yet another treasure discovered through Nitrome and Yacht Club Games that successfully transforms the series’ iconic 2D side-scrolling action into an excellent 2D side-falling. The game’s procedurally generated levels are designed with care and even though the roguelite-inspired progression elements leave something to be unsatisfactory when it comes down to enticing you to play more runs once you’ve completed a level however, the emphasis on risk-versus-reward choices makes for an incredibly satisfying experience all the way through. Shovel Knight Dig is a brief dive (albeit with a superbly hidden post-game) and isn’t as innovative as the Spelunkys in the sense that spelunking Roguelikes go, however Shovel Knight Dig is still an excellent game.